Portable, powered water station

ABSTRACT

A portable water station includes a container or bucket with a flat bottom, a sidewall, and a top cover or lid. An electric pump resides within the bucket. A rechargeable battery is provided on the top of the lid, and is electrically connected to the pump. A pipe is connected to the pump and extends through the lid and terminates in a spigot for dispensing water from the bucket when the battery switch is turned on. A valve on the pipe can be opened and closed to control water flow from the spigot. A soap dispenser is also provided on the lid.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to provisionalapplication Ser. No. 61/503,691 filed Jul. 1, 2011, herein incorporatedby reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Workers are often at job sites that do not have a water supply. Forexample, construction workers may be at sites or developments far from awater source. At times, there is a need for the worker to wash theirhands, or other body parts, such as for their lunch break. Similarly,campers, hunters and fishermen sometimes go to remote sites withoutrunning water, but still have a need or desire to wash their hands,faces or other areas. However, such washing is difficult without water.

Various types of portable water containers are well-known. One type ofportable water station often used for camping is a water bag which canbe hung, with an outlet for gravity flow from an outlet in the bottom ofthe bag. A hose or line includes a valve which can be opened and closedto control flow of water from the bag.

Portable sinks are also known for bringing to a site without water sothat people can wash their hands. Such sinks typically include a freshwater tank and a grey water tank for collecting dirty water. The cleanwater tank of such a portable sink is normally filled from a watersupply truck after the sink is set in place at the site.

These prior art portable water supplies have numerous shortcomings. Thegravity flow bag is subject to puncture or other damage and does notfunction well when set on the ground. Portable sinks are larger andnormally are not carried to the site by one person. The portable sinksare also relatively complex in construction and are not pre-filled withwater.

Therefore, a primary objective of the present invention is the provisionof an improved portable water station.

Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a waterstation which can be manually carried, full of water, to a site.

A further objective of the present invention is the provision of aportable water station having a submersible pump and a power supply fordispensing water on demand from a five gallon bucket.

Still another objective of the present invention is the provision of animproved battery powered water station for use at sites without runningwater.

Yet another objective of the present invention is the provision of aportable water station which can be carried to a site in one hand.

A further objective of the present invention is the provision of aportable water station which can be used for washing hands or as ashower.

Another objective of the present invention is the provision of aportable water station which can be set on the ground, on the floor, orupon an elevated surface.

Another objective of the present invention is the provision of aportable water station which can be quickly and easily filled with waterbefore the station is moved to a use site.

A further objective of the present invention is the provision of animproved portable, powered wash station which is economical tomanufacture, and durable and effective in use.

Another objective of the present invention is the provision of aportable water station which is a self-contained assembly, which can beeasily carried to a desired site, and which is immediately ready foruse.

These and other objectives will become apparent from the followingdescription of the invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The portable water station of the present invention includes a bucket orcontainer for holding water, with a removable lid or cover mounted tothe bucket. A rechargeable battery is mounted on the lid, and isoperatively connected to a submersible electric pump located in thebottom of the bucket. A conduit or pipe extends from the pump upwardlythrough the lid and terminates in a spigot. A switch is provided forturning the battery on and off, and a valve is provided for turning thespigot on and off. A soap dispenser may also be provided on the lid ofthe water station. When the switch is turned on and the valve is opened,water is pumped from the bucket by the pump, and through the piping fordischarge from the spigot.

The bucket can be filled with water, and then transported to a worksite, job site, or other remote location. A handle is pivotallyconnected to the bucket for carrying the bucket to a desired uselocation. The bucket has a flat bottom for setting the wash station onthe ground, on a floor, or on an elevated surface, such as a table, workbench or counter top. An optional extension conduit can be added toraise the spigot to a shower height.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS AND PHOTOGRAPHS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the portable water station according tothe present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the water station according to thepresent invention.

FIG. 3 is another side elevation view of the water station according tothe present invention.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the water station according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the water station shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of the water station showing theinternal components mounted for use.

FIG. 7 is a view of an alternative embodiment of the wash stationaccording to the present invention having elongated vertical tube forraising the spigot to an elevated shower height.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The water station 10 of the present invention generally comprises awater container or bucket 12 with a removable lid or cover 14. The lid14 can be mounted on the upper end of the bucket 12 in any convenientmanner, such as by snap fit or mating threads. The bucket 12 includes ahandle 16 having opposite ends pivotally connected to the bucket 12. Thebucket 12 includes a flat bottom 13 and a sidewall 15, with an openupper end.

As seen in the drawings, the water station 10 includes a submersibleelectric pump 18 which sits in the bottom of the bucket 12. The pump 18includes an outlet pipe or conduit 20 which is connected to a spigot,tap or other outlet 22. The pump 18 is electrically connected to anon/off switch 24 on a base or controller 26 mounted on the lid 14. Thepump 18 is powered by a rechargeable battery 28 operatively mounted tothe base 26. When the switch 24 is turned to the on position, thebattery 28 powers the pump 18 to pump water from the bucket 12 to thespigot 22, until the switch 24 is turned off. A valve 30 may be providedon the plumbing 20 for the spigot 22 to prevent discharge of water ifthe switch 24 is accidentally turned on.

A soap dispenser 32 is also mounted to the lid 14. The dispenser 32includes a bottle 33 with a cap 34 with a pump spout 36. The cap 34mounts to the lid 14 via threads or a snap fit or friction fit. The soapdispenser 32 can be removed from the lid 14 so that the bucket 12 can bequickly and easily filled with water from a hose or faucet via theopening in the lid 14 which receives the dispenser 32.

In the alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the spigot 22 can beelevated via an elongated extension pipe or tube 38 so that the waterstation 10 can be used for a shower. The water station 10 can be quicklyand easily converted from the hand washing configuration shown in FIGS.1-6 to the shower configuration shown in FIG. 7. More particularly, forhand washing, the spigot plumbing includes the vertical pipe or conduit20 with a threaded cap 40 and an elbow 42 to which the spigot 22 isthreadably coupled. To convert from the hand washing configuration tothe shower configuration of FIG. 7, the spigot 22 is removed from theelbow 42 and the cap 40 is placed on the end of the elbow 42 in place ofthe spigot 22. The elongated shower pipe or tube 38 is mounted in placeof the cap 40 and the spigot 22 is threadably mounted to the upper endof the shower tube 38.

Preferably, all of the plumbing pipes are plastic PVC so as to belightweight, yet durable, with threaded ends for connecting the spigot22, the cap 40, the extension pipe 38, and other attachments.Preferably, the bucket 12 has a five gallon capacity so that it can beeasily carried full of water to the job or work site by one person.Thus, the work station 10 can be filled before leaving for the site,placed in a truck or vehicle for transport to the site, and then carriedto any desired location at the site, without the need for a separatewater supply or water truck at the site. Also, since the bucket 12 has aflat bottom, the water station 10 can be set on the ground, the floor, atable or other support surface for use. The battery 28 can be chargedeach night, or as otherwise needed.

It is understood that the configuration of the water station 10 can varyfrom that shown in the drawings and described above. For example, theconduit 20 may have any desired height, and may extend through asidewall of the bucket 12, rather than through the lid 14. The bucket orcontainer 12 can also have other shapes and sizes. Furthermore, the lid14 may be sealed to the bucket 12. Also, a separate fill opening may beprovided in the lid 14, apart from the soap dispenser 32.

The invention has been shown and described above with the preferredembodiments, and it is understood that many modifications,substitutions, and additions may be made which are within the intendedspirit and scope of the invention. From the foregoing, it can be seenthat the present invention accomplishes at least all of its statedobjectives.

1. A portable, powered water station, comprising: a bucket for holdingwater; a lid removably mounted to the bucket; a handle pivotallyconnected to the bucket; a battery mounted on the top of the lid; asubmersible electric pump in the bucket and electrically connected tothe battery; a pipe mounted on the lid, with an inlet connected to thepump and an outlet above the lid; and a spigot on the outlet of thepipe.
 2. The portable powered water station of claim 1 furthercomprising a soap dispenser mounted to the lid.
 3. The portable poweredwater station of claim 1 further comprising a switch on the lid toactivate the pump.
 4. The portable powered water station of claim 1wherein the bucket, lid, battery, pump, pipe and spigot form aself-contained assembly.
 5. The portable powered water station of claim1 wherein the bucket, lid, battery, pump, pipe and spigot form anassembly for carrying by the handle when the bucket is filled withwater.
 6. The portable powered water station of claim 1 wherein thebucket has a flat, unobstructed bottom for sitting on a support surface.7. The portable powered water station of claim 1 further comprising ahole in the lid for filling the bucket with water.
 8. The portablepowered water station of claim 7 further comprising a soap dispenserremovably mounted in the hole.
 9. The portable powered water station ofclaim 1 further comprising a pipe extension connected to the pipe, andthe spigot being removed from the pipe and mounted on an upper end ofthe extension to extend the spigot upwardly to a shower height.
 10. Awater supply assembly for providing water at a site without runningwater, comprising: a container for holding water, and having a flatbottom, a sidewall and a top cover; an electric pump inside thecontainer; a battery outside the container and operatively connected tothe pump; a conduit having a lower end connected to the pump and anupper end residing outside the container to discharge water on demand; ahandle mounted on the container for carrying the container with a singlehand while the container is full of water.
 11. The assembly of claim 10further comprising an opening in the top cover to fill the containerwith water.
 12. The assembly of claim 10 further comprising a soapdispenser mounted on the container.
 13. The assembly of claim 10 furthercomprising a control valve on the conduit to open and close the conduit.14. The assembly of claim 10 further comprising a switch to turn thebattery on and off.
 15. The assembly of claim 10 wherein the conduit hasan adjustable height.
 16. The assembly of claim 10 further comprising aspigot on the upper end of the conduit.
 17. The assembly of claim 10wherein the conduit has a plurality of outlets.
 18. The assembly ofclaim 17 further comprising a removable cap on the outlets.
 19. A methodof providing water to a site without running water, comprising: fillinga bucket of water; then transporting the bucket to the site; thensetting the bucket on a support surface; and then actuating a batterypowered pump in the bucket to dispense water from the bucket.
 20. Themethod of claim 19 wherein the water-filled bucket is manually carriedto the site.